Blood of my blood
by Rebecca Skywalker Naberrie
Summary: For sixteen years Luke and Leia have been moving from one side of the galaxy to the other along with their small family. The other's company and the illegal races where they compete without their mother's knowledge are all they need to be happy. Now, to commemorate the Emperor's ten year anniversary the biggest race of the galaxy's history has been announced.
1. Chapter 1

**_Hello people! I'm Kheyra Amidala Skywalker. I'm not plagiarizing this story. I know it's been published before, and that it is still available in this wesite under the nickname of Kheyra Amidala Skywalker. It's me. _**

**_I lost my access to that account when my computer broke down months ago, I'm completely unable to remember the mail that I used to use to access to that account. I tried everything I could to regain access, vainly. I'm still waiting for the " support" to answer my mails, pleading for help, and offer me a solution._**

Meanwhile, this is my sister's account and, since she hasn't used it for a long, long time, she has given me permission to post here my stories. I know I could create a new account all for myself, but I still haven't lost hope that one day I'll be able to access to my old one.

For all the new readers, the sequel that I mention under this paragraph it's still available in Kheyra Amidala Skywalker's website.

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_**STAR WARS DO NOT BELONG TO ME.**_

_The next fanfiction is a sequel of **Brother in all but blood**. It takes place sexteen years after the conclusion of that one, and the main characters will be Luke and Leia, followed by Anakin/Darth Vader. While to have read the prequel is not a requirement, you will understand the scenary and the character's personality and decisions much better if you do._

_As I've said already, english is not my first language, so I wouldn't have dared to write this without the support and encourage of my lovely beta: **Roque Amadi**. Thank you very much for your effort and your help.**Much of the merit for this story is yours.**_

_**For all you, readers, I just hope you enjoy...**_

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**Prologue.**

Luke sighed for the third time in the last minute. He was bored, so bored that he didn't know what to do with himself. He was frustrated too. He never did truly understand the reason that kept his family moving from one side of the galaxy to the other every few years and, honestly, he didn't care.

He had never felt like he fit in any of those places they lived and neither had he wished to. The young man guessed he was kind of weird, but still he couldn't deny that feeling burning deep inside him, telling him that there was something else, some sort of special fate waiting for him, for both of _them_, in some distant corner of the galaxy.

So… the "always moving" thing? He was cool with it. Seriously cool. It was true that he had always been a little too shy to make new friends easily, and it had taken a while until he had got used to the new schools, but he had never been alone throughout the process. His family has always been with him: Leia, mum and Uncle Ben. They were stuck together for good and that was what counted in the end. It was all that Luke needed to be happy. It was _almost_ all that Luke needed to be happy.

But this? _This_? Luke looked around him hopeless. In every direction the scene was repeated over and over again. Miles and more miles of empty desert was everything he could see. There wasn't anything else.

What the hell were Uncle Ben and mum thinking to choose this desolate and so freaking hot planet as their new home? A fucking ball of sand, that was what it was.

"It's not that bad." A voice said behind him.

Luke didn't need to turn around to see who the voice belonged to. He did anyway.

"No. It's even worse than that." He said back to her. "What are you doing here, anyway? I though mum sent you to make sure the moisture evaporators worked properly while I was checking the perimeter."

Leia smirked at him.

"Why? Aren't you happy to see me?

"That's a stupid question, little sis."

He was always happy to be with his sister and both of them knew that truth. The deal worked in the opposite direction too.

"I'm not your little sis. I'm only one minute and forty second younger than you. That shouldn't count."

"It does for me." He swore, wrapping his arms around his sister's waist. "You are and always shall be my little sis. I will protect you, Leia! Don't be afraid."

He was teasing her and they both knew it. Their relationship had never worked like that. There wasn't an oldest in their relationship, there wasn't one in charge. They were twins. They were the other's half part. They complemented each other. The one's weaknesses were the other's strengths. They could spend days and days with the other as their only company and still feel like they didn't need anyone else.

Thinking about it, probably Leia was the main reason why Luke had never felt the need to remain in a single place, to make friends and to build a life for himself. The link that attached them was stronger and brighter than any another; even the ones with his mum and Uncle Ben. As much as he loved them, it couldn't be compared to his love for her.

As long as Leia and he were together, the things would be okay.

"Oh! Shut up, Luke!" she hit him with her elbow in his waist softly. "I couldn't do anything with the evaporators, anyway. And it's your fault. You were thinking too loud."

"Sorry." He apologized to her with little enthusiasm. "I didn't mean… It just..." He couldn't help it. It was just too frustrating and too hard to understand. "What the hell were they thinking, to switch Moon IV for this?"

Leia arched an eyebrow.

"I think I remember someone, not long ago, who was hoping to move to the next planet as soon as possible."

"Well, I might've mentioned that Moon IV was starting to lose any challenge after almost two years, but I never said I'd prefer to change our life there for this stupid sand ball."

_Nobody in their right mind would chose to live on this stupid sand ball._

Luke had to bite his tongue to avoid saying the words. It was a pointless effort of course, since Leia heard them anyway. That was another special part in their relationship. It wasn't like they could communicate telepathically at will or anything that cool, but from time to time one of them would think too loud and the other one would be able to catch the thought.

"I don't think it was mum's idea." Her sister said. "She won't say anything, but I can see how she hates to be here. The whole idea was Uncle Ben's."

Luke nodded, trusting in her sister's judgment. She had always been very perceptive and conscious of people's feelings and intentions, all the opposite to him, who depended on his instinct to react.

"Any idea of why?" He couldn't help but ask, despite knowing already the futility of such question.

"What do you think? We haven't been able to figure out why we are running away yet —or who we are running away from—. And until we find that out, we are blind to every reason behind their actions."

That was sadly the truth in the end. Neither their mum nor Uncle Ben would ever tell them the cause behind their continuous transfers or — much more important to Luke, though better concealed— who their father was and why they had never met him.

Luke and Leia used to ask about it, a long time ago, back when they were toddlers. However, the lack of response and the sound of their mum crying the whole night after their questions had taught them soon enough to keep their mouths shut and their doubts to themselves.

"Yeah. Guess you're right. And Tatooine can't be worse than Hoth, can it?"

Of all planets which they had lived on, Hoth was by far the worst. They had been like five or six years old when they moved there, Luke could barely recall it. What he did remember was the cold, a frightening and glacial chill able to freeze even his bones, and the strange feeling of being the only human beings on the planet.

"Nothing could be worse than that ice ball. At least Tatooine is an habited planet." Leia agreed with him. "It should't be that difficult to find some decent company and a good place to race."

"Yeah. Hope so. Let's hope our time here is as short as it was on Hoth though; hopefully, without any new scars to add to my collection."

It there had been something good in that frozen-ass planet, it was that they had been there only for six months. There had also been a little accident that involved Luke, one that he wasn't able to remember very well. He knew he had been fighting with Leia, a very unusual thing, but he couldn't say the reason. He did remember the adrenaline pulsing in his blood when he had got up early that night, still very mad at his whole family, and he had decided to run away.

The rest of the story was echoes of mist in his brain: the beast's roars ringing in his ears, fear, panic and… pain; much, too much pain. And then that strange blue light, a man whispered —Uncle Ben, or was it his dad? — telling him not to be afraid anymore, that he was going to be all right.

Luke had awoken in a bacta tank three days later, and they were leaving the planet two days after that. His mum's decision was immovable.

He still had a big scar across his abdomen as a reminder of that short adventure, but as they had spent the next two years on a resort holiday planet with wonderful tropical weather, Luke figured the pain had been worth it.

"I've got something that will cheer you up." He turned to look at Leia with curiosity. "Here; sit down with me." She instructed him, settling herself on the sand.

Luke smirked with knowledge as he sat next to her sister. The sand was still hot although sunset wasn't far, and Luke felt the heat seep through his clothes. It wasn't a pleasant sensation. He tried to ignore it focusing his attention on her sister.

"So finally you're going to show me the true reason that had brought you here."

Leia stuck out her tongue in a very childlike gesture.

"Shut up, Luke. And look at this."

He did as his sister asked him to, and glanced at a pamphlet that Leia had laid before him arching an eyebrow.

"Ten Years with our Emperor and his Glory" he read the tittle. "Seriously, Leia? I thought you hated the Empire and everything that came with it."

Her sister sighed impatiently.

"I do. And you should, too. It's a completely unfair political system," she protested, for his amusement. Luke had never been interested in politics. "But forget about that. Look at the part when it announces the Race on Imperial Planet to celebrate the Tenth Aniversary under the rule of our beloved Emperor."

Luke's eyes opened comically. Finally, he was starting to understand where his sister's thoughts were leading. He read it as fast as he could.

"Leia!"

Luke was only able to say her name to express his enthusiasm.

The article had left him speechless.

"I know! I know!" Her smile was as much excited as Luke was feeling. "This is not another race. It's The Race. The best pilots of the galaxy will be there. There'll be a lot of tests and drills before anyone will be allowed to run, and every competitor must've won at least two races at planetary level to get in."

"We have!" Luke interrupted quickly. "We've won more than two. And here it says every ship can be occupied by two pilots? Leia, it's perfect for us!"

"Yeah!" His sister nodded. "That was what I thought. The race isn't for another six months, they want it to coincide with Emperor Day. There is enough time to get everything ready. And it doesn't say anything about an age limit, but we'd need to make it certain just in case. Anyway, we'll be sixteen by then, so I don't think we find any problem. I believe if we can finish our podracer's repairs on time, we'd have a real chance to win."

Luke stared his sister deeply impressed. His brain was still too excited with the race idea to process that much information.

"Breathe in and out, Leia. And then try to say all that stuff again slower."

Leia blinked and seemed a little ashamed.

"I'm sorry. You know how I am when something traps my attention. It's just… I was thinking so much about it before I came here to tell you."

He nodded. He knew his sister and also was conscious of how her brain worked. She was intelligent, clever, much more than him. However instead of trusting her instincts to take her to the right place, as Luke always did, Leia needed to think about it over and over again, analyzing the problem from every perspective and trying to find out all hypothetical results, before going ahead and really acting on it.

"No apologies." He said, absentmindedly playing with the sand between his fingers. "But… Leia. You're conscious this race is on Imperial planet, aren't you?" His sister nodded. "That means two days travel, only to get there. We'd be gone for a week at least. There is no way mum isn't going to notice our absence for that long, and I seriously doubt Uncle Ben'll agree to cover us this time."

The happy smile slowly died on Leia's face, replaced by much more mature and serious expression. Luke knew that expression. He'd seen her sister wearing it more times than he could name, every time that she had been unfairly punished, every time they had opted to keep her in the dark about a matter of her concern…

Whatever the reason that brought that smile to her lips, Luke knew that meant trouble. Usually for both of them.

"Well… I was thinking." She started to explain carefully. "We are almost sixteen, aren't we? And they still treat us like we're children. We still don't know why we have to go from planet to planet every couple of years, despite uncle Ben always saying that they would explain it when we grow up. We're still not allowed to spend a night away from home, or make our own decisions about anything. And it's so obvious they are not going to change their mind when we turn sixteen." Leia paused for a second and took breath. Then her eyes stare at Luke. "What I'm trying to say is: They think we're children, they're always going to think it. Maybe it's time for us to prove them wrong."

"And running away from home for whole week to participate in a very dangerous race is a good way to show that?"

"I wouldn't say it like that," she said without shame. "We wouldn't be running away, because we'd leave a note before going. And they don't need to know about the race. Making a visit to our old friends on Moon IV is as good an excuse as any other. I remember telling mum about how you were missing you girlfriend back there."

Luke felt the heat rise on his cheeks as he blushed. "Shut up! I've never had a girlfriend."

"I know that." Leia nodded approvingly. "But we've used it as an excuse before. What difference would it make to use it again?"

There would be a difference and both of them knew it. Leaving the house for hours every day to practice with their podracer was one thing; lying a little to get a free day to go to the planet's capital to race was another. Running away from home without permission for a whole week, girlfriend or no girlfriend, to compete in the most exciting and dangerous race of the century was a completely different world.

"You know they'll kill us, don't you? They'll kill us even if they believe us. If Uncle Ben discovers the truth..." Luke didn't finish the sentence. He didn't want to think about it, even knowing that was what would actually happen. The warning in his gut was telling him so. "Then they'll kill us twice."

Her sister nodded to show her accord with him, and yet the smile stayed glowing on her lips. This time Luke wasn't the one thinking too loud. He could hear her response as clear as if she was singing it. The most dangerous thing of all, Luke could do nothing but agree.

Slowly, he smiled back.

"Yeah… Yeah! if we win, even death would've been worth it."

That was the simple truth.

Luke ignored where his love for flying had emerged from. Sometimes he wondered if it was borne as a result of Obi-Wan's stories when he himself was a toddler. His uncle had used to talk to him about his father, back at that time when his mother's health had been so fragile, and Luke was a scared little boy unable to sleep because of the nightmares.

_Your father was the best star pilot in the galaxy…_

The most of the time, however, Luke believed he had born with it in his blood.

Flying was his passion, his greatest love. Either he was racing with a podracer, with a spaceship, or with a swoop-bike... whenever the engines ignited and the vehicle accelerated, Luke was finally free. All questions and worries of daily life faded away from his consciousness; all his concerns about his father and his family's secret died out for a short time.

He felt like he fit there, between the ground and the skies, between the stars and the universe, always running towards the horizon, always the fastest, the most swift.

He was the best at it. Perhaps racing was his single talent, but Luke could do it like no one else. Even, he would dare to say, a little bit better than Leia. And his sister was awesome by herself. When they competed together no one else in the whole galaxy could overcome them. They had won more races from the age of thirteen than Luke was able to name. But always at a low level, always within a single planet, a single planetary system. The possibility of racing on Imperial Planet... to test his ability against the best competitors…

Luke raised his eyes in silent for a few seconds and watched the horizon, where the two suns were slowly fading from the view. It was a beautiful twilight, perhaps the only beauty that could be found on the planet. But it was still not enough to make him happy.

He wanted more; something else.

_Your father was the best star pilot in the galaxy…_

_The best star pilot..._

_The best…_

In his heart, Luke knew that chance was too good to let it go.

He stared at his sister. The same determination that he was feeling in his gut shone in Leia's face. She was smirking too. They understood each other without need of words.

So the decision had been made. To hell with the consequences!

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**I've chosen to move this story here because I had only published one chapter as Kheyra, so it was easy to move it all, and to update it from here.**

**I hope this course of accion doesn't upset anyone. I really don't know what to do. I've been trying to regain access to my account for months, desesperate to update some stories, and unable to explain my readers and ****lovely ****reviewers why I couldn't keep updating as I promised many times.**

If any of you know some way for which I could access again to my old account, I'd be eternally grateful. I remember the password, but not the mail account. And I tried writing down as many mails as I remember having had, in the section of "forget password?", but I have had so many, and this one was probably very old... I really don't remember!

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_Well... Here it is. To be truth this is my first try to write a long fic in english, and I still don't know if I have level enough or ability for a proyect like this. There are so many good english writers with better ideas than mine. I'm very anxious to read any review of yours._

_What do you think about this first chapter? Do you believe the story have potential, or I should make another try with a different argument? Is it worthy to be working with it?_

_I guarantee that any opinion of you, any review, any criticism, any compliment will be welcome. I really want to know what you think about this, so I can continue improving my english skills!_

_May the force be with you all._

_**Kheyra Amidala Skywalker.**_


	2. Chapter 2

_**STAR WARS DO NOT BELONG TO ME.**_

_Well, here it comes the next chapter. It's been ready for quite a time now, and I'm so happy for having it updated, even if under another nickname. I hope you all enjoy it, I'll be anxious to read your oponion._

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**Chapter I**

"People of the Empire… Give your strongest applause for our two young pilots winners: Luke and Leia Skyer!"

The thunderous roar of the crowd was like nothing that Luke had heard before. It was almost frightening: an echo that extended indefinitely, the sound always increasingly. The ground had started to tremble beneath his feet, and Luke began to wonder if such applause could shake the heart of the planet itself.

The feeling of to be there, of being the focus of such ebullience, wasn't especially pleasant. He felt airsick, hypersensitive, and extremely conscious of his own body. Every accidental touch against his skin scorched like hot iron. The adrenaline for the race was still burning strong in his veins, and incremented the feeling of dizziness. However, it also helped to mitigate the pain.

The cut in his leg and the few broken ribs that he had earned racing were barely a bother. The tiredness would reach him later, too.

_Luke! Leia! Luke! __Leia! Luke! Leia! Luke! Leia!_

The crowd cried his name and her sister's like a prayer.

Like Luke, Leia had also gotten some injuries for herself. The broken wrist seemed the most serious one. Fortunately for both of them, there was nothing to be worry about. A few hours of bacta treatment were all they needed to heal.

And Gods knew they were used to!

It was unusual, to not say impossible, to compete in a speed race and to end with a good position without getting a souvenir in form of a wound. And this particular race was the most dangerous and violent of all ones that Luke had ever taken part in. No even in his craziest dreams had he imagined something similar. And he had fantasized quite a lot about the topic.

The incredible talent of every pilot, the ferocity of each curve, the foul play, the awareness that one second of hesitation could mean the difference between life and death; tension, speed, force. There hadn't been time to be afraid, to worry for their lives.

Their racing craft was the only important, the craft and the goal; everything else was only obstacles between them two. It was almost a miracle that the both had survived…

Nonetheless, they had done more than just survived. They had actually won!

And all Imperial Planet applauded them now.

Luke smiled; a bright, euphoric, incredulous smile.

In front of them, the man dressed with flamboyant clothes continued talking to the crowd. The teenager hadn't been paying attention to his words, too absent minded assimilating his own victory and his sister's. Until...

"… and now, our beloved Emperor will give the well-earned medals to them!"

Luke's mouth fell with surprise. Suddenly, his attention was entirely focused in the present.

The Emperor? Had that eccentric man said the Emperor himself?

He had not time enough to process the thinking, before he and Leia were driven by two imperial guards to an upper platform that hanged over their heads. Everything was strangely silent. The people had finally stopped cheering, Luke comprehended with surprise. Now, they seemed to wait in silent for the very expected meeting.

Luke wasn't well aware of which ones were his feelings about the matter: incredulity, fear, expectation, a mix of the three? He knew, however, that there wasn't going to be time enough to figure it out, and her sister's anxiety became a helpless cry inside his head as they were approaching to their destiny.

He grabbed her hand. It was instinct. To protect his sister. He tried to tell her with his mind every word that he wasn't in position to actually speak aloud.

_I'm here with you, Leia. We've won the race. Everything is going to be okay. There is no reason to fear.  
_

There wasn't time for her to nod. Everything was happening too quickly. A second of silent. An announcement. Then the Emperor's figure walked in front of them.

He was tall, several inches taller than Luke, and his body was wrapped with a black cloak and a hood. The crowd applauded again to welcome him. The din was ever louder than before, but for some reason Luke was barely aware of the noise this time.

Leia and he walked a step closer to the Emperor.

He was standing up, still, with his back upright and proud. His face was well concealed by the hood, which made impossible to glimpse his features. However, his figure was wrapped in a aura of unquestioned authority and power, and his pose was very threatening. It was, as a whole, a very dreadful image, and yet, somehow, Luke found himself unable to glance away.

_I don't like him._

Luke heard her sister's thought as loud as if it would've been said in words. He couldn't disagree; not completely. Still, Luke stared at powerful figure, fascinated.

The man didn't show a sign of being conscious of the crowd beneath their platform, crying his name. He remained impassible, neither flattered nor boring, like if he couldn't care less for the spectacle. Like if every one of them — every single person around, the millions of billions reunited to celebrate his sixteen years as Emperor, the subjects who sustained his power— were nothing; less important than insects.

I wasn't exactly contempt, but Luke was unable to find the right word to describe it. It didn't stop him from trying.

Then, surprising both of them, the Emperor stepped forwards. He was suddenly so close than Luke was able to sense his body heat under his cloak. He raised his arms over their heads —Luke gasped—, and two golden medals were placed around their necks, one after the other.

"Congratulations, young ones." He said with a blank voice.

Luke bent his head in response and relaxed notably when, from the corner of his eye, he saw his sister to do the same. All the cameras were focused on them.

"You have won fairly."

It was the polite thing to say, exactly what was expected. The imperial troopers start to walk towards them, and it was only another proof that the short interview was over. But Luke couldn't help it. He remained still and, recklessly, ignored his sister's hand trying to drive him back. He raised his eyes and stared the Emperor once more.

He needed to understand... where the feeling came from that the man was only laughing of Luke with those last words? Because… there was something else in him…something that Luke couldn't put his finger on.

"Luke" Her sister whispered in his ear. "Come on. Now!"

He nodded. He acknowledged that was the wise option. And nevertheless, his feet were still stuck in the ground, unwilling to move.

"Luke!"

He blinked.

"Better listen to your sister, young one. Or you might not like the consequences."

It was just a whisper; so quietly spoken that the holo-cameras didn't catch it. It was enough to freeze Luke's stomach.

His feet finally reacted.

Leia dragged him through the platform faster than would been considered courteous. As he walked away from the Emperor presence, the applause of the crowd returned to his ears. The fear vanished along with the fascination —or whatever madness had seized him—, and suddenly Luke felt tired, very tired; just as if all emotions and wounds for the race were finally starting to overcome him.

He wanted only to rest, to heal his injuries and to sleep for very longs hours, maybe days. But the people were claiming their names again, absorbed in the spectacle. Luke sighed, resigned. It seemed like his wishes were going to have to wait for a while.

The euphoria for the race was still there, bright, booming, pressing against his veins… and yet, Luke thought, yet... a victory had never felt so heavy before.

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_Well, what do you think? I know it was a short chapter, the next will be longer, I promise. But Luke and Leia have had the first encounter with the Emperor, and that can never mean good news..._

_I hope you have liked, and I promise all your questions will be answered in time. Please, feel free to opine and give advice. This last one will always be especially welcome._

_May the force be with you.  
_

_**Kheyra Amidala Skywalker.**  
_


	3. Chapter 3

**STAR WARS DO NOT BELONG TO ME.**

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**Chapter II**

For Luke, the previous day had turned out to be a nightmare. The euphoria from the race and the tension of the meeting with the Emperor had been followed by countless hours of long interviews and celebrations. When he and Leia had been finally allowed to retire to the nursery to treat the wounds from the race, it had been near nightfall. And when the medic droid had finally dictated they were healed enough to leave the hospital and go to rest to their temporal rooms, it had been well past midnight.

He had woken up a little bit before Leia with the memories of the previous day echoing painfully in his mind, and had felt lost about how to proceed until the protocol droid had walked across the door with instructions for breakfast.

"Good morning, young master" the droid greeted Luke bowing its head towards him respectfully, and then turned to address his sister. "Young mistress. I hope you have rested well." The mechanic voice didn't pause for an answer before adding: "If you may follow me now, I will take you now to the breakfast room."

"This way, please." It said, not bothering to assure that its instructions were being followed.

_That much for a droid with character, _Luke thought a bit bitterly as they began to walk towards the corridors, missing their own droids back in home.

Threepio and Artoo were a unique display of personality, each in their own way. Both were smart, resourceful, and trustworthy, completely different to any other droid that Luke had ever met, and, most important, an integral part of his family. He wondered what they were doing now, and regretted once again that he and Leia couldn't take those two with them for the trip, especially Artoo. The little astromech would've been a great asset for them during the race, of that, Luke had no doubt.

The corridors through which they were walking were enormous and sumptuously decorated; every corner spoke of luxury and power. Leia had told him the previous night, while they were being driven to the guest chambers, that the palace had been constructed to be a reflection of the glory and unlimited power of the Empire.

It was obvious for Luke now, with the sunlight infiltrating through the large windows and illuminating the splendid beauty of the construction, how much truth had carried his sister's statement.

The protocol droid turned another corner and finally stopped in front of a door identical in appearance to all the others. The droid opened it, and invited them to come in with a gesture of its arm. Luke's eyes met with his sister's just for a second, during which Leia smiled to him almost imperceptibly. After reassuring each other, they walked across the door into the dining room.

The delicious smell of hot meal was the first thing his brain registered. It was quite expected, as the previous day they had had barely time to eat before the race, and nothing at all after. The second thing was the unexpected presence of another being already sitting at the head of the table.

It was a man. A very tall man, Luke noticed when the stranger rose to his feet and started to walk towards them. He was taller than Uncle Ben, probably, and quite younger. Maybe in his middle thirties? The man stopped a few steps away from where he and Leia were standing, and elegantly bowed his head towards them, inviting them to come closer to the table with a gesture of his arm.

"Good morning. I hope you are hungry." It was all he said for introduction. "It seems like the kitchen droids have prepared a whole banquet in your honor."

Luke smiled easily.

"A lot." He answered sincerely. "There was time to eat yesterday, after the race. Right now, I feel I could eat a hutt and still be hungry for desert."

The man smirked.

"Go ahead, then. Feel free to eat as you please. Fortunately for us, I doubt hutt's meet is part of the menu."

Luke felt a wave of heat rising up to his cheek. He had forgotten where he was. This was not Tatooine, or the Kessel run, or his family's house. The Imperial Palace was probably the less appropriate place to speak aloud so frankly, but the man didn't seem upset at all. At the worst he was slightly amused. He had gone back to his previous position at the head of the table, and was waiting for them to sit.

Luke did so, taking the chair at the man's right. He was only marginally surprise when Leia opted to take the chair at his right instead of the one in front of Luke, at the left of the table's head, as the social etiquette demanded. His sister had never enjoyed the company of strangers, and she specially disliked those who were close to the Imperial rule. Luke supposed it was a natural effect of their peculiar lifestyle, but it had always been difficult for him to share her wariness.

He tried to reassure her across their bond, as clear as he could manage without speaking aloud, and he felt her response almost immediately. Feelings of love and gratitude warmed up her way inside his mind.

_I'm fine. Don't worry about me._

The teenager translated her unspoken answer. Reassured by her answer, he let himself focused on the food.

The meals were delicious, better even than their smell had promised. And Luke had not lied about being hungry. He filled his plate with as much food as he managed and, after eating it all, he repeated the process again. By the third plate, he began to feel satisfied.

It was only then, with a full stomach and after long hours of sleep, that Luke began to comprehend the extent of the effects that yesterday's race had had over his body. And judging by the relaxed posture with which Leia had leaned her back against the seat, he wasn't the only one feeling that way.

Finally, Luke finished the last bite of his plate with a long sigh of approval.

"It was delicious" he said, without addressing anyone in particular.

"I'm glad it had your approval."

Luke lifted his eyes instinctively to meet with the man's. They were blue, slightly cloudy but not very different from the teenager's. He was still sitting at the head of the table, his posture still the same, and, by the appearance of his plate, he had finished his meal much earlier than him or his sister had.

The young pilot felt a bit ashamed for ignoring the man's presence for so long, focusing instead on the food. But the man spoke again, interrupting Luke's intentions to offer an apology.

"May I congratulate you both for your victory, now that we had finished our meals?"

Luke's guilt increased in the face of his polite words, so he hurried to answer.

"Of course! Thank you very much, sir. Did you see the race?"

The man's features twisted into a grin.

"I'd dare to say the whole planet had seen the race by now, young man. But yes, I am among the fortunate ones who witnessed it in person. It was truly impressive."

Luke's smile grew from ear to ear. He opened his mouth, willing to inquire further on the topic, but Leia spoke first, taking him for surprise.

"And _who_ are _you_, if I may ask?"

The teenager turned his attentions towards his sister, as did the man. Leia's question hadn't been discourteous, exactly, but her tone of voice carried demand enough to be considering rude. Luckily, the man didn't seem to take offense by it, much to Luke's relief.

"You may." He said, with a nod of his head. For a second, Luke was sure he wasn't going to add anything else, but then he spoke again. "My apologies, young lady. I should have introduced myself sooner." This time his voice had a slightly more formal tone, less arrogant, but less natural too. "I'm Commander Starkiller, of the Royal Forces."

"You are part of the Imperial Army?"

The question had been asked in a completely neutral tone of voice, one that betrayed nothing of the emotions behind it. Yet, Luke could hear Leia's disapproval and distrust as clear as she were screaming at him. While Luke could understand his sister's suspiciousness and contempt towards the Empire, he even agreed with her on some scale —and he truly, really disliked politics—, this was the worst the place and time for her to stand up for her ideals.

"Retired, but I have had that honor, milady."

The commander answered formally, and his voice carried an iced tint that hadn't been there before. Was it a warning? In any case, Luke knew that it was time for a change of topic in that conversation. He stepped at the front.

"Well… My name is Luke Skyer. It's a pleasure to meet you, Commander. She's my twin sister, Leia."

Luke extended his hand towards the man, inviting him to shake it, and he gracefully accepted the gesture.

"The pleasure is all mine, Mr Skyer. I assure you."

"Please, call me Luke, commander. I'm far too young to go by Mr."

The teenager asked nervously, feeling a bit uncomfortable at such formalities. The man nodded, and his lips turned into a smile of sympathy.

"As you wish, Luke."

Luke grinned back at him.

"Maybe you can tell us when our ship will be ready to leave the planet. I think somebody mentioned something about it last night after we left the hospital, but it was too exhausted to actually pay attention."

"Your spaceship is already ready to leave the atmosphere. However it is possible that the two of you may have to remain a little longer on the planet."

"Oh" Luke's face features tightened slightly, reflecting his shock at this news. "Is there any kind of problem? With the race… or something?"

"Not at all." The commander denied. "Do not worry, Luke. The race was a very important event, and you two have yet to receive your prize for winning. The Emperor is planning quite a feast to that end, and he wishes for you to remain here until the celebration is over. I've been assigned as your guide for as long as your stay lasts. Coruscant is a very interesting place. I'll be my honor to show you some of them."

Luke nodded. The explanation made sense. He sensed his body exuding the tension that had accumulated without him noticing.

"What if we can afford to stay here?" a familiar voice interrupted. "What if we have other commitments that we must attend?

The teenager cursed himself. He should've seen it coming. Of course Leia would never drop out the discussion so easily. The commander raised his eyebrows.

"Is that so?" He asked. "What short of commitments?"

"The sort that are private." Leia insisted stubbornly.

"Well, in such a case, I'd ask of you to postpone them. I understand the inconvenience that this might assume, but it'll be just for a very short time."

The Commander didn't look angry or upset for Leia's remarks, quite the contrary. It seemed like her sister's insolence served only to amuse him. Regrettably Leia had come to the same conclusion, because she narrowed her eyes and pressed her lips to the point they became a very thin line on her face.

"So you are telling that we are your prisoners."

Luke didn't need to check the man's face to know she had gone a step too far this time. He twitched his lips into a caricature of the previous smile, and his whole body had become tensed. Suddenly he looked even taller than before, and almost threatening.

"Leia!" Luke cried her name. If he did it as a call of warning or as one of support he himself didn't know.

They ignored him. They were far too absorbed to pay attention to him, eyeing one another with suspicion.

The Commander narrowed his eyes, and his voice was dangerously cold when he spoke again.

"Believe me, young lady. If you were my prisoners, you _would_ know it."

There was a minute of edgy silent. Then Leia stepped back, clearly intimidated this time. The commander let his body released some of the tension.

"I can understand your reluctance. However, I assure you, there is no reason to fear. The ceremony will take place in a couple of weeks, at the latest, and, once it is over, you will be able to leave as you please with the money from the prize. Of course…" he paused for a moment, "if you believe that your other commitments surpass the importance of the Emperor's wishes, then I could arrange an interview with him for the two of you. I'm sure he would be willing to listen to your objections in person, and act upon them fairly.

_Bhanta, No_! The possibility of being again standing in front of than man, so soon after the last encounter, froze Luke's veins. His sister and he seemed to agree in this one topic.

"That won't be necessary, thank you." Leia replied firmly, in an emotionless voice.

Luke could sense her rejection and horror at the suggestion as clearly as he had felt his own. Maybe the Commander could perceive something similar too, because the expression of his face had returned to be the same he had worn at the beginning of the meeting: friendly and relaxed, if slightly disinterested... and a bit mocking.

"Wonderful. The matter is sealed, then." The Commander stated, in a pleased tone of voice. "Now that we are finished here, I'll take you back to your chambers. Maybe I could arrange a short excursion around the public areas of the palace for this afternoon. That way you will be able to leave your rooms without getting lost if you ever feel the wish to do so."

Seeing as Leia was less than willing to speak this time, Luke bowed his head in agreement.

"That'd be very helpful. Thank you, Commander."

"This way, please."

The Commander approached to the door and opened it, leading them towards the corridors. Luke and Leia shared a briefly look before exiting the room, and they started to walk after him. They both were having similar thoughts.

_What if we refused? Do we still have a choice left?_

* * *

_Well, here is a new chapter. I know it has a lot of errors. I tried to locate and correct them, but I'm sure there are thousand I was unable to find._

_I say now, the character that has presented himself as Starkiller will be very important to the story. But his actions won't follow the path of Starkiller in the videogames. I hope, despite all the mistakes, you were able to read and enjoy the chapter._

_May the force be with you all,_

_**Rebecca Amidala Skywalker.**_

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End file.
